The USC Trojans are currently on top in the Big Ten, staying undefeated at 7-0 in the conference. And you know while JuJu Watkins is the headline star, it’s the team’s ability to come through in close calls that’s really keeping the streak alive. Their latest road win in Indiana was a perfect example of that. Despite some tough odds, the Trojans found a way to pull out the victory. 

But the game wasn’t just about the face-off; it was also about the Trojans’ 15 athletes practicing at none other than Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever arena. If you’ve been following women’s basketball, you’ve probably noticed the growing comparison between JuJu Watkins and Caitlin Clark.

It seems like these two are always in the conversation. So you know, it must have been a pretty special moment for Watkins to play in Clark’s backyard at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. And it was indeed important for them to have a place to grind. 

Because with one of their Big Ten games already postponed due to fires in LA, the Trojans were in a bit of a bind. USC took to Twitter to thank the Indiana Fever, saying, “Practice at Gainbridge Fieldhouse ✔️ Thank you to the @IndianaFever for letting us use their practice facility today!” 

As for the game, the sophomore star led the charge to pull off a hard-fought 73-66 win. She bagged 22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. However, it wasn’t the smoothest ride. They had to deal with a slow start, a late surge from Indiana, and an odd situation where their bench didn’t score a single point. 

It was a show resilience from the Trojans. And not for the first time. They’ve cliched multiple wins this season in the same pattern. Thankfully, Watkins and Stanford transfer Kiki Iriafen step up and are even accounting for more than half of the team’s scoring with 43.7 points per game.

Now, heading into their first matchup with Purdue, will there be any changes to the rotation? It’ll be interesting to see how the bench responds after being pretty silent against Indiana, also considering this is their last matchup before a pretty ‘weird’ schedule. 

JuJu Watkins & the Trojans’ tough Big 10 schedule

The Trojans have a week off after facing Purdue, which might be needed considering the way the rest of their schedule is laid out. They’ll return to action on January 30 to face Minnesota at home, and then they’ll have to travel to Iowa for an early game on February 2. 

And if that wasn’t enough, they have another cross-country trip to Wisconsin right after. It’s a tough stretch, and they’re going to need all hands on deck, especially when it comes to their bench. This schedule could have been a lot smoother if the Minnesota game were scheduled earlier in the week, but instead, USC has to deal with a lot of back-and-forth travel. 

It’s going to be a grind, and they’re going to need to manage their rotations. But if the Trojans want to stay at the top and win big games, their bench is going to need to step up. As for the big games, they do have ranked ones ahead but JuJu Watkins & Co. know that they have taken down giants like Ole Miss, UConn, and Maryland, so it’s not that big of a mountain.

For now, let’s just hope that the bench comes through strong and they don’t lose any momentum going forward!